Updated: Second presidential debate in Mexico

The above video features the second presidential debate organized by Mexico’s Federal Electoral Institute that took place Sunday night in the western city of Guadalajara.

Great expectation preceded the exchange in good part by recent controversies and the ongoing student movement.

Thousands of people demonstrated in the streets of Mexico City and elsewhere in the nation against the front-runner Enrique Peña Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party the day of the debate, according to several media reports.

Also, the debate was a crucial moment for the candidate of the National Action Party Josefina Vázquez Mota.

The conservative’s presidential bid has fallen recently to the third place behind Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the Democratic Revolution Party in several polls, including as Reforma and Parametria.

On another front, the leftist López Obrador has taken some heat over allegations of an attempt of irregular campaign funding by his staff.

During the debate Vázquez Mota appeared the most aggressive, followed by Garbriel Quadri of the New Alliance Party, while Peña Nieto and López Obrador seemed a bit more conciliatory and spent more time defending their records in government.

López Obrador’s posture was an interesting departure from the more aggressive tone he had during the first debate.

While still a little early for all the polls to reveal the impact of last night’s debate, UNOTV offered some panels, similar to focus groups, to measure the initial impact.

Pollster Maria de las Heras organized these panels held simultaneously in some important cities observing the debate and answering brief questionnaire. The leftist López Obrador did better in the debate with 32%, followed by Vázquez Mota with 27%, Peña Nieto 22% and Gabriel Quadri with 11%.

The conservative’s efforts paid off modestly in Grupo Milenio’ daily poll, but Vázquez Mota continues behind the leftist López Obrador in the battle for second place.